Plushenko's son, shocking article

[Taan]

Millionaire mother of five-year-old Russian skating prodigy admits beating him with a belt and locking him in a dark cupboard so he can become 'the best skater in the world'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-prodigy-admits-beating-locking-cupboard.html

 

[andromache]

I saw this article about an hour ago. Thought about posting it here, decided to avoid the backlash, since apparently there are those who think this is an 100% healthy and normal way to raise a CHILD.

Let kids pursue a hobby without making it their full-time job. If a kid works in a factory or a sweatshop for 7-8 hours a day, it's illegal and it's abuse. If it's sport, it's somehow wonderful.

Not to mention the physical and mental abuse this kid's mother is giving him on top of the full-time job he has at 5 years old.

 

[drivingmissdaisy]

I don't know what to make of that since the Daily Mail is more of a gossip site. Having said that, there are different standards of acceptable punishments across cultures. When I was growing up, principals would spank misbehaving kids, and that would never be tolerated now. Objectively, research suggests such punishments are ineffective in modifying behavior, but there are children who receive spankings and turn into fine adults.

 

[NymphyNymphy]

If this is true, this is child abuse. Beating him with a belt and LOCKING him in a dark cupboard?? If that doesn't traumatize you as a child, I don't know what will. Childhood is very fragile time in human development, how can any parent think of treating their child like that? Figure skating is a hard enough sport to begin with. But to have parents like that? Shame on Plushenko for letting this happen. Asian parents are tough too, this is taking things to another level of cruelty.

 

[demarinis5]

Wow!!!! That is quite the article.

 

[vesperalvioletta]

I'm not saying it's right, because I certainly don't agree with this method of child-rearing, but it wasn't that long ago that American parents were using belts and switches to punish their children (I'm only one generation removed from it). I don't see anything wrong with Sasha learning to skate if it's something he enjoys and wants to pursue, but I do think it's a little ridiculous for his parents to be pushing him like he needs to be Olympic champion tomorrow. He's five. Based on the Angels of Plushenko Instagram page, it always appeared to me like skating was something Sasha did to be close with his dad, but I certainly hope he's not being coerced into it.

The Daily Mail hasn't always been known to be a reputable news source, but nonetheless, I hope Sasha is alright. Childhood trauma is a serious thing that can have lasting effects in adulthood.

 

[lavenderblossom]

Guys the Daily Mail is 100% a gossip rag. It is not a credible source at all. I would take this not with a pinch, but with a ton of salt. Where is the interview that this article used as a source?

 

[r2d2]

Millionaire mother of five-year-old Russian skating prodigy admits beating him with a belt and locking him in a dark cupboard so he can become 'the best skater in the world'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-prodigy-admits-beating-locking-cupboard.html

Eteri's girls would say: Luxury

 

[Ares]

Shocking. Poor boy, it's full exploitation and abuse.

 

[heyang]

It seems extreme because so many things can happen that could derail future success on ice - injury, growth, mental competitiveness, strength of competitors, etc. Pushing him so hard to probably replicate his father's success could lead to problems if he does not attain the same success as his father if they make his self worth about skating.

There is a line between being permissive vs supportive vs disclipinarian. Parents have to question if the child really wants something, having a bad day or is parent pushing their own goals on the child. When my elder niece at age 8 was struggling with karate, my SIL essentially told her she had to finish because at age 4, she said she wanted her black belt and my SIL had paid for the 4 yr contract. My brother had a chat with his daughter and asked her to think about if she wanted to quit when she was so close because she was tired or was it because she really hated karate. He made it clear that if she decided to continue, there would be no 2nd chance to backout. If she had said she really hated it, he would've talked to my SIL about letting it go, but my niece decided she wanted to finish. After she got her 1st degree black belt, she dropped karate and added more dance lessons. Her brother is working on his 3rd degree black belt because he really enjoyed it and had set the goal for himself, although his parents have to push occasionally.

I'm not sure what a 4 1/2 yr old would do that would warrant a beating with a belt or being shut in a dark room. I don't object to a mild spanking if nothing else works and it's a last resort. Sometimes kids get so overwhelmed and tired, that the only way to get their attention is a swat to the butt with a hand, not something really hard. Parents have to know their kids too - if they are tired and cranky and young, the parent should know the signs and be prepared to allow the child to rest (which also teaches the child to learn their limits too) vs pushing past their limits and then getting angry. I can remember being at a party that started outdoors in the morning (clamming at the beach) and extended into the evening for backyard feast at host's house. One woman and a 5 yr old who was definitely hungry but she wouldn't allow him to eat anything until all the food was ready..... It was already 7pm and we had been out in the hot sun all morning into the afternoon. She should've just given him a piece of bread or a carrot stick instead of holding off on eating...

 

[cruzceleste]

Millionaire mother of five-year-old Russian skating prodigy admits beating him with a belt and locking him in a dark cupboard so he can become 'the best skater in the world'
http://www.dailymail.co.uk/news/art...-prodigy-admits-beating-locking-cupboard.html

Disclaimer, my dad use to do this, I don´t hate him and I turned out ok... in Latin América countries this is "normal"...

Beside the tone of the Daily Mail is the worst, even a person from another country as me knows that they are a yellow journalist that will exaggerate everything...

 

[Barb]

https://news.utexas.edu/2016/04/25/risks-of-harm-from-spanking-confirmed-by-researchers
https://www.brookings.edu/research/hitting-kids-american-parenting-and-physical-punishment/
http://www.apa.org/monitor/2012/04/spanking.aspx

In all honesty though, I find the burden of work this 5-year old has to deal with to be far more troubling than the punishments. Having a full-time job at 5 years old is unconscionable. At least child actors / child stars have to follow labor laws. Athletes don't. It's ridiculous and exploitative of child labor.

Same, when I was a kid I recivied those kind of punishments and while I disagree with physical punishments, I don´t think his mom is being sadic, usually parents do it thinking this will be the best for their child, most of parents do not enjoy it, but they think that is the only way their kids understand.

But to skate from 9am-4pm it is more likely to traumatize him than to be sitting in a dark room. Maybe they are exaggerating, the kid looks always so happy.

 

[millie]

Oh my God.....do figure skating mean so much to these parents and coaches, that they are able and willing to abuse these children. In the part of the world in which I live, even if this was an insinuation, the child would be taken away from the parent and put in Foster care until it was investigated. The parent would be charged with child abuse and child endangerment. What kind of a society let’s this happen to little children. Talk about “Ice Age Kids”, dear God. Listening to some of these posts and their response about agreeing with child abuse, it’s unbelievable. And saying it’s ok to beat a child...God help this society.

 

[andromache]

There is a line between being permissive vs supportive vs disclipinarian. Parents have to question if the child really wants something, having a bad day or is parent pushing their own goals on the child. When my elder niece at age 8 was struggling with karate, my SIL essentially told her she had to finish because at age 4, she said she wanted her black belt and my SIL had paid for the 4 yr contract. My brother had a chat with his daughter and asked her to think about if she wanted to quit when she was so close because she was tired or was it because she really hated karate. He made it clear that if she decided to continue, there would be no 2nd chance to backout. If she had said she really hated it, he would've talked to my SIL about letting it go, but my niece decided she wanted to finish. After she got her 1st degree black belt, she dropped karate and added more dance lessons. Her brother is working on his 3rd degree black belt because he really enjoyed it and had set the goal for himself, although his parents have to push occasionally.

I think forcing a kid to finish out some classes (sport, dance, whatever) is okay. It teaches them perseverance and that they have to finish something once they start it. But forcing a kid to do it several hours a day several days a week? It's a whole other level. It's a full-time job.

Even if he doesn't like it and wanted to quit at some point, I don't get the impression that his parents would be receptive to that idea. Or he would be too afraid of disappointing them to voice his feelings.

 

[Yatagarasu]

1) this is the Daily Mail, one of the worst tabloids in the world

2) in case someone is living under a rock, the UK - Russia relations are .... ashes to ashes, dust to dust.

ETA: Ok I stand corrected, look below!

 

[j00mla]

dailymail co uk I wouldn't believe them even in the relation of the current year number

 

[Marin]

https://www.youtube.com/watch?time_continue=2&v=4CvQKuJVLXg

Russian speakers can confirm, all comes from her mouth not just a British gossip mag ... belt thing and closing child in dark room confirmed, ..she denies this kind of punishment as something that happens regularly but it happens and she says the belt is thin and not heavy and compared to other parents she is angel ... I have no words

 

[russianfan]

you're saying child abuse is okay because a lot of people are doing it? what. what's too hard to understand about abuse being detrimental to a child's wellbeing?

Now please reread my post and show me where i said that child abuse is ok. I'm patiently waiting.

 

[Mawwerg]

In some countries a belt is a traditional tool for such aims.

 

[epicdreamer]

Now please reread my post and show me where i said that child abuse is ok. I'm patiently waiting.

no I'm asking if that's what you think, hence the question mark. maybe I should've phrased it "are you saying..." instead.